Adams earns seat at the table for RCS soccer, wins first state title since 1999

ROCHESTER/ROCHESTER HILLS — The Rochester schools are always known to be at each other’s throats in athletics, but in a friendly, competitive way.

In everything from softball to cheer, Rochester Adams, Rochester and Rochester Hills Stoney Creek high schools are always compared to each other because of the proximity of the schools and how strong each program is.

In girls soccer, it’s no different, especially when Stoney Creek won a state title last year and Rochester was one game away from playing in the state championship game in 2022.

When Adams defeated Hartland 2-0 in the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 1 state championship June 14 at DeMartin Stadium in East Lansing, Adams finally could have a seat at the Rochester Community Schools girls soccer table.

“Us three were always mentioned, but it was always them in the spotlight,” senior Helen Flores said. “Our senior class, we’ve been talking since our freshman year about how we’re winning it all our senior year. To have it happen and finally go through the playoffs and see that we can do this, it was just all (content) and a huge sigh of relief.”

Winning it all was a tall order for a Highlanders team who hadn’t made it out of districts since 2019 and last won a state title in 1999, but the nine Highlanders who made up the 2024 senior class were determined to make it happen.

In the state finals game, the seniors took it into their own hands as senior captain Evelyn Kekhoua opened up the scoring courtesy of an assist from senior captain Danielle Danko, who recorded two assists in the win.

On the field, they were electric. Off the field, they were veterans serving as mentors. As a whole, they were the anchor to a team bond that propelled Adams to East Lansing.

“It’s nothing like I’ve ever seen before, and I’ve played on multiple different soccer teams and sports teams in general,” Flores said. “The word I would use to describe our senior group as a whole is definitely ‘leadership.’ We have different types of leaders. Me, Danielle and Evi are the captains, but it felt as though you could approach any of the nine seniors and be led. We were big on our talks in the beginning of the game and playing for each other, but the senior class wouldn’t have the identity it had without our underclassmen. I think the team as a whole was just all together.”

The juniors and sophomores added contributions of their own as junior Sadie Rogers added a goal with just under five minutes left to play to put the game out of reach and sophomore goalkeeper Lexi Calcamuggio kept the game in Adams’ hands throughout the contest.

Calcamuggio showed a small sample size of her talent last year while waiting her turn to be the starting keeper in 2024, and she put Division 1 soccer on notice with her performance.

Holding seven shutouts on the year already, Calcamuggio faced minimal danger in the first half, but Hartlant gave her a heart-pounding moment early in the second as Adams was holding onto a 1-0 lead.

“They got behind us and slotted the ball across, and the kid slid in and missed it, but on the back post there was a kid who hit it, and Lexi (Calcamuggio) just carried over and continued with her line and was fortunate enough to make that save,” Adams coach Josh Hickey said. “That really held the game in check. If that would’ve gone in, it could’ve been a totally different story.”

Courtesy of the Highlanders’ impressive defensive showing, Calcamuggio faced only four shots in the win.

The defensive effort consisted of Flores, senior Catherine Delikat, junior Kaitlyn Dempster, junior Samantha Hawkins, sophomore Maya Orlowsky and freshman Jordyn Vokal.

“I give so much credit to my defense and my back four, because I really am convinced that they are the strongest four in the state,” Calcamuggio said. “My stats show that I allowed less than one goal per game, and it would never have been possible without my defense. I think what made us so strong in the back was just good communication and the connection we all have. There are some amazing players in the back, and when they work as one they are unbeatable.”

Adams defeated Utica, Rochester, New Baltimore Anchor Bay, Troy and Salem to reach the state finals stage and finished 10-2-2 in the regular season.

All-State honorees for Adams included Sadie Rogers (2nd team), Danko (2nd team), Vokal (3rd team), and Dempster (HM).

With three of the four all-State selections returning along with a strong core of returners, Flores said she expects the 2025 Highlanders squad to pick up right where they left off.

“I have a lot of faith in our junior class with Kaitlyn Dempster, Julianna Zobrist, Sadie Rogers and a lot of returners that showed they’re capable of leading, competing and winning at the levels we’re at,” Flores said. “With our juniors leading and our underclassmen we already saw shine with Lexi (Calcamuggio), Mya (Orlowsky) and Jordyn (Vokal), I think it looks good. I think they’ll have a good chance to make a run next year.”